ACR Electronics MicroFix 2898 Manual do Utilizador descarregar pdf (Página 2)

Jun e 2008 w w w. avi a t i o n co n su m e r. c o m The Aviation Consumer • 1 3

GPS receiver. Sending the GPS coordi-

nates to the satellite can narrow down

the effective search area from within

a 5 kilometer radius when using 406

MHz Doppler shift techniques to 100

meters, which also eliminates the

multiple-pass delay. That alone makes

a PLB with built-in GPS the way to go,

in our view.

All of these PLBs comply with

international standards and, by

regulation, the Federal Communica-

tions Commission (FCC) has adopted

those standards as its own. A PLB

must be FCC-approved before it can

be registered in the U.S. And the free

registration is necessary if owners

expect to get the full beneﬁt of a PLB,

since each one carries a discrete digital

signature that’s part of its transmitted

signal. All of the units we examined

have some means to test and verify

their operation, but without radiating

signals. Also, just because two PLBs

meet required specs, doesn’t necessar-

ily mean they perform equally under

all conditions.

ACR MICROFIX

ACR Electronics MicroFix PLB is

about the same size and weight as

a cellphone circa 1998, but without

the day-glow green plastic shell. Also

missing is a telephone keypad; there

are only two buttons on the MicroFix,

one to activate its self-test function

and the other to get rescued. The “get-

rescued” button is hidden under a tab

attached to the antenna’s base and

can’t be pressed without ﬁrst extend-

ing the antenna.

The antenna itself is a black-coated,

ﬂat, spring-steel affair—think metal

tape measure—wrapped around the

unit when in storage. The antenna’s

tip, molded from the same day-glow

green plastic, ﬁts into a locking slot

opposite the antenna’s pivot point. A

lanyard and a black plastic snap-on

belt carrier round out the package.

Activation is simple: Swing up the

antenna, removing the tip from its

recess, then press and hold the on/off

button for one second. A pictogram

on the front depicts extending the

antenna and pressing the activation

button, but it doesn’t suggest holding

the button.

GME ACCUSAT MT410G

GME’s Accusat MT410G, manufac-

tured in Australia, is vaguely rectan-

gular in shape and encased in inter-

national-yellow plastic. Atop the unit

is a built-in strobe light; more about

that later. The unit has no LEDs, no

push buttons and no cute styling. It

comes with a black soft protective

case, which includes a belt loop and a

hook-and-loop closure.

On its back side is the antenna:

Push to release a spring-loaded plastic

latch and pull up and away from the

unit to break a security seal, extend-

ing the stainless-steel cable antenna.

That’s it—the unit is activated and

is zapping its message to the nearest

satellite. This is the only PLB of which

we’re aware that’s equipped with a

built-in strobe light. It’s not nearly as

bright as an aircraft strobe, but it does

work and is a feature present in none

of the other units we considered. It

would easily be visible to searchers

using night vision gear.

KANNAD 406 XS3 GPS

Kannad is a subsidiary of the France-

based Martec Group known in the

U.S. for a line of ELTs variously mar-

keted under both company names.

The 406 XS-3 GPS model is the

company’s third-generation PLB and

comes with a six-year battery, exceed-

ed only by the GME Accusat MT410G.

Its oval shape distinguishes it from the

rest of the PLBs we examined.

The Kannad uses the same tape-

measure-style antenna as the other

units and this ﬁts into a channel of

soft black plastic wrapped around

the PLB’s circumference. Once

unwrapped, its base pivots and the

antenna points straight up. Clear

plastic shields cover the unit’s buttons:

Lift one shield to uncover the test but-

ton. To activate the PLB, break a small

piece of red security tape, pop off the

other shield and press the “ON” but-

MANUFACTURER

MODEL

SIZE

INCHES/MM

H x W x D)

WEIGHT

OUNCES/

GRAMS

BATTERY

MINIMUM

LIFESPAN

WATERPROOF

DEPTH/METERS

BUO YANT? WARRANTY

RETAIL

PRICE

USER

REPLACEABLE?

SHELF LIFE

ACR MICROFIX

5.8 x 2.2x 1.4

149 x 56 x 36

10/

283

NO 5 YEARS 24 HOURS 5 M NO 5 YEARS $699

GME

ACCUSAT

POCKET PRO

MT410G

5.3x2.8x1.5

135 x 71 x 38

8.8/

250

NO 7 YEARS 24 HOURS 1 M YES 7 YEARS $659

KANNAD 406 XS-3 GPS

5.1x3.4x1.8

132 x 88 x 45

10.4

295

NO 6 YEARS 24 HOURS 1 M YES 5 YEARS $590

McMURDO

FASTFIND

MAX-G

5.8x3x2.1

146 x 78 x 54

10.5

300

YES 5 YEARS 48 HOURS 5 M YES 2 YEARS $650

MICROWAVE

MONOLITHICS

MICROPLB

5.9x2.4x.98

150 x 61 x 28

10/

285

NO 5 YEARS 48 HOURS 1 M NO 4 YEARS $898

All of the PLBs require antenna

extension at activation.

1 2 3 4

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